Book III : Aranya Kanda - The Forest
Trek

Chapter [Sarga] 70
Verses converted to UTF-8, Nov 09

Introduction

Kabandha's overlong arms are cut off when he wanted to devour Rama and Lakshmana as godsend dainty morsels. Then Kabandha wishes to
know who these two are and when Lakshmana informs him of Rama, that demon feels elated for his accursed state is over at the hands of Rama.

On prying at those two brothers, Rama and Lakshmana, who are completely stowed in the hangman's halter-like arms of the demon, and who
are enduring within it, Kabandha said this sentence to them. [3-70-1]

"Oh, excellent Kshatriya-s, on seeing me who am miserably famished, really what for you stay cool? You are the godsend gobs of mine,
and hence now you are almost dead..." So said Kabandha to brothers. [3-70-2]

"Oh, king Raghava, killing the non-aggressive is tantamount to the killing of animals that are led into Vedic-ritual in its midst is
despicable to the kings... [3-70-6]

The text varies with other mms. kratu madhye upa niitaam will change to
kratu madhye apa niitaam in Maheshvara Tiirtha's version, then it translates as 'an animal
led out of the ritual half way through the ritual...' meaning that 'the animal unbefitting for
sacrifice...' And that is to say 1] an animal not prearranged and sanctified right from the
beginning, but brought in the middle of ritual; 2] or, one that is brought for ritual which has to
yield without being aggressive pratikaara hiina shakti; 3] or, paryagni kR^itaa na
araNyaam utsR^ijyam a himsaayaa 'unsanctified or wild animals brought from wilds are to be let
off, unhurt...' 4] or, one that which is not at the sacrificial post - it is not to be
sacrificed...' and Lakshmana says addressing Rama as 'oh, king, you have to let off those beasts,
but not this beastly demon who is aggressive and contemplating a regicide...'

Then both the Raghava-s are very highly gladdened as the demon is hauling them towards his eye at shoulder level, and as they are the
brothers with circumspection, they instantly mutilated his arms right at their shoulder joints only with two swords. [3-70-8]

This compound su sam hR^iSTau is as per the text of Govindaraja and
Maheshvara Tiirtha states this as su sam vignau meaning 'very highly agitated...' agitated
at the short time available to cut off his hands, before falling into his well-head like mouth. And
this expression 'very highly gladdened' is for the righteous advice given by Lakshmana,
circumspectly.

"But who are you? Your legs are broken, and your mouth is infernal, yet it is on your chest, and alike a topless, rootless tree trunk
you are sprawling in the forest, how so, or, for what reason?" Lakshmana asked the demon thus. [3-70-16]

"Oh, manly tigers, by my providence you are revealed to me... welcome to you... and providentially sheared are these shackles, called
my two arms, by you... [3-70-18]

The arms, mouth-to-stomach, and another organ are the epitomes of mortals. A
mortal does everything with arms and devours anything with mouth. martyaa kartaa bhoktaa
ca Now those shackles of mortality are severed and he is ready for immortality.